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The Conviction Machine: Prosecutors, Politicians, and Police Violence in Chicago
A captivating account of the most corrupt and blood-soaked chapters in Chicago law enforcement history
In December 1969, the FBI, the Chicago Police Department, and the office of States Attorney, led by rising political star Edward V. Hanrahan, conspired to assassinate Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, and then flagrantly covered up their misconduct. Thirteen years later, Jackie Wilson was tortured by the same police department and wrongfully incarcerated for thirty-six years.
Drawing on unique insights from his role as a leading opposition lawyer in both cases, award-winning author Flint Taylor details the vast political corruption uncovered in the Hampton case and the twists and turns of Wilson's forty-year effort to win his freedom.
With blistering clarity and righteous indignation, The Conviction Machine shines a penetrating light on the sordid world of prosecutorial misconduct and police violence.
In December 1969, the FBI, the Chicago Police Department, and the office of States Attorney, led by rising political star Edward V. Hanrahan, conspired to assassinate Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, and then flagrantly covered up their misconduct. Thirteen years later, Jackie Wilson was tortured by the same police department and wrongfully incarcerated for thirty-six years.
Drawing on unique insights from his role as a leading opposition lawyer in both cases, award-winning author Flint Taylor details the vast political corruption uncovered in the Hampton case and the twists and turns of Wilson's forty-year effort to win his freedom.
With blistering clarity and righteous indignation, The Conviction Machine shines a penetrating light on the sordid world of prosecutorial misconduct and police violence.
352 pages, Paperback
Published May 19, 2026
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June 18, 2026
I'm always on the lookout for good books to recommend to newcomers to Chicago, especially those of a progressive persuasion. I think this book by Flint Taylor might be one of the top selections for me, because I have never seen a book so sharply and effectively demonstrate the degree of racism and brutality embedded within the long history of the Chicago Police Department, Cook County State's Attorney's office, and Chicago Mayor's Office.
Taylor and his crew have been fighting against police violence and fighting for justice for decades, and this book is an homage to their long struggle to bend the moral arc of the Windy City towards justice. Many people today take for granted that they know that Fred Hampton was murdered by CPD and the FBI at the direction of State's Attorney Ed Hanrahan. What goes largely unspoken is the amount of work that had to be down to uncover this truth, to try to claw back some restitution for the Hampton family and beat back the relentless arm of the State's Attorney's office, led in large part by Taylor and the People's Law Office.
From there, we continue on a long journey through the depths of the Cook County Democratic machine, to the rise of Richard M. Daley, first as State's Attorney and then as Mayor, where he oversaw so much misconduct and violence and helped cover it up (something detailed well in Taylor's other book, The Torture Machine), through his proteges like Richard Devine, Anitta Alvarez, and to the present. The fight to stop police violence and uncover misconduct unfortunately continues, and there remains so much work to be done. But this book did a great job outlining an underappreciated amount of work that has gone into fighting back against this massive machine.
Thank you, Taylor and your peers, for the work you've done. La lucha continua.
Taylor and his crew have been fighting against police violence and fighting for justice for decades, and this book is an homage to their long struggle to bend the moral arc of the Windy City towards justice. Many people today take for granted that they know that Fred Hampton was murdered by CPD and the FBI at the direction of State's Attorney Ed Hanrahan. What goes largely unspoken is the amount of work that had to be down to uncover this truth, to try to claw back some restitution for the Hampton family and beat back the relentless arm of the State's Attorney's office, led in large part by Taylor and the People's Law Office.
From there, we continue on a long journey through the depths of the Cook County Democratic machine, to the rise of Richard M. Daley, first as State's Attorney and then as Mayor, where he oversaw so much misconduct and violence and helped cover it up (something detailed well in Taylor's other book, The Torture Machine), through his proteges like Richard Devine, Anitta Alvarez, and to the present. The fight to stop police violence and uncover misconduct unfortunately continues, and there remains so much work to be done. But this book did a great job outlining an underappreciated amount of work that has gone into fighting back against this massive machine.
Thank you, Taylor and your peers, for the work you've done. La lucha continua.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review